Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-32 Seats and Restraints
Q: What are the different types ofadd-on child restraints?
A: Add-on child restraints, which
are purchased by the vehicle
owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular
restraint should take into
consideration not only the child's
weight, height, and age but also
whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor
vehicle in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child
restraints, there are many
different models available. When
purchasing a child restraint, be
sure it is designed to be used in
a motor vehicle. If it is, the
restraint will have a label saying
that it meets federal motor
vehicle safety standards.
The restraint manufacturer's
instructions that come with the
restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular
child restraint. In addition, there are many
kinds of restraints available for
children with special needs.
{WARNING
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash, infants
need complete support. This is
because an infant's neck is not
fully developed and its head
weighs so much compared with
the rest of its body. In a crash, an
infant in a rear-facing child
restraint settles into the restraint,
so the crash forces can be
distributed across the strongest
part of an infant's body, the back
and shoulders. Infants should
always be secured in rear-facing
child restraints.
{WARNING
A young child's hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle's regular
safety belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child's abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-33
Child Restraint Systems
(A) Rear‐Facing Infant Seat
A rear-facing infant seat (A)
provides restraint with the seating
surface against the back of
the infant.
The harness system holds the infant
in place and, in a crash, acts to
keep the infant positioned in the
restraint.
(B) Forward-Facing Child Seat
A forward-facing child seat (B)
provides restraint for the child's
body with the harness.(C) Booster Seats
A booster seat (C) is a child restraint
designed to improve the fit of the
vehicle's safety belt system.
A booster seat can also help a
child to see out the window.
Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-34 Seats and Restraints
Securing an Add-On Child
Restraint in the Vehicle
{WARNING
A child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured in
the vehicle. Secure the child
restraint properly in the vehicle
using the vehicle safety belt or
LATCH system, following the
instructions that came with that
child restraint and the instructions
in this manual.
To help reduce the chance of injury,
the child restraint must be secured
in the vehicle. Child restraint
systems must be secured in
vehicle seats by lap belts or the
lap belt portion of a lap-shoulder
belt, or by the LATCH system.
See Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) (Coupe
and Convertible Models Only) on
page 3‑35 orLower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) (Z06 and ZR1 Models
Only) on page 3‑35
for more
information. Children can be
endangered in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly secured in
the vehicle.
When securing an add-on child
restraint, refer to the instructions
that come with the restraint which
may be on the restraint itself or in a
booklet, or both, and to this manual.
The child restraint instructions are
important, so if they are not
available, obtain a replacement
copy from the manufacturer.
Keep in mind that an unsecured
child restraint can move around in a
collision or sudden stop and injure
people in the vehicle. Be sure to
properly secure any child restraint in
the vehicle —even when no child is
in it.
In some areas of the United States
and Canada, Certified Child
Passenger Safety Technicians
(CPSTs) are available to inspect and demonstrate how to correctly
use and install child restraints. In
the U.S., refer to the National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) website to
locate the nearest child safety seat
inspection station. For CPST
availability in Canada, check with
Transport Canada or the Provincial
Ministry of Transportation office.
Securing the Child Within the
Child Restraint
{WARNING
A child can be seriously injured or
killed in a crash if the child is not
properly secured in the child
restraint. Secure the child
properly following the instructions
that came with that child restraint.
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-35
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System)
(Coupe and Convertible
Models Only)
Some child restraints have a
LATCH system. As part of the
LATCH system, your child restraint
may have lower attachments and/or
a top tether. The LATCH system can
help hold the child restraint in place
during driving or in a crash. Some
vehicles have lower and/or top
tether anchors designed to secure
a child restraint with lower
attachments and/or a top tether.
Some child restraints with a top
tether are designed to be used
whether the top tether is anchored
or not. Other child restraints require
that the top tether be anchored.
A national or local law may require
that the top tether be anchored.In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints
have a top tether, and that the
tether be attached.
Your vehicle does not have lower
anchors or top tether anchors to
secure a child restraint with the
LATCH system. If a national or local
law requires that your top tether
be anchored, do not use a child
restraint in this vehicle because a
top tether cannot be properly
anchored. You must use the safety
belts to secure your child restraint
in this vehicle, unless a national or
local law requires that the top tether
be anchored. Refer to the child
restraint instructions and
instructions in this manual for
securing a child restraint using the
vehicle's safety belts. See
Securing
Child Restraints on page 3‑39.
Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children
(LATCH System) (Z06 and
ZR1 Models Only)
Some child restraints have a
LATCH system. As part of the
LATCH system, your child restraint
may have lower attachments and/or
a top tether. The LATCH system can
help hold the child restraint in place
during driving or in a crash. Some
vehicles have lower and/or top
tether anchors designed to secure
a child restraint with lower
attachments and/or a top tether.
Your vehicle does not have lower
anchors to accommodate lower
attachments. Your vehicle does
have a top tether anchor. If your
child restraint has a top tether, make
sure your child restraint is properly
installed using the top tether anchor
and the vehicle's safety belt. A child
restraint must never be installed
using only the top tether and
anchor.
Black plate (36,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-36 Seats and Restraints
Refer to your child restraint
instructions and seeSecuring Child
Restraints on page 3‑39 for
instructions on securing your
child restraint using the vehicle's
safety belts.
In order to use the top tether
anchors in your vehicle, you
need a child restraint equipped with
a top tether. The child restraint
manufacturer will provide you with
instructions on how to use the child
restraint and its top tether. The
following explains how to attach a
child restraint with the top tether in
your vehicle.
A top tether (A, C) anchors the top
of the child restraint to the vehicle.
A top tether anchor is built into the
vehicle. The top tether
attachment (B) on the child restraint
connects to the top tether anchor in
the vehicle in order to reduce the
forward movement and rotation of
the child restraint during driving or
in a crash.
Your child restraint may have a
single tether (A) or a dual tether (C).
Either will have a single
attachment (B) to secure the
top tether to the anchor. Some top tether-equipped child
restraints are designed for use with
or without the top tether being
attached. Others require the top
tether always to be attached.
In Canada, the law requires that
forward-facing child restraints have
a top tether, and that the tether be
attached. Be sure to read and follow
the instructions for your child
restraint.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-37
Top Tether Anchor Locations
i(Top Tether Anchor): Seating
positions with top tether anchors.
To assist you in locating the top
tether anchors, the top tether anchor
symbol is located on the trim cover.
The top tether anchor is located
under the cover behind the
passenger seat.
Securing a Child Restraint with
a Top Tether
{WARNING
If a LATCH-type child restraint is
not attached to anchors, the child
restraint will not be able to protect
the child correctly. In a crash, the
child could be seriously injured or
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
killed. Install a LATCH-type child
restraint properly using the
anchors, or use the vehicle safety
belts to secure the restraint,
following the instructions that
came with the child restraint and
the instructions in this manual.
{WARNING
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck and
the safety belt continues to
tighten. Buckle any unused safety
belts behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
if the vehicle has one, after the
child restraint has been installed.
Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
3-38 Seats and Restraints
Notice:Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’ s safety belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled safety belts to
avoid rubbing the LATCH
attachments.
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat.
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached. 1. Secure the child restraint using
the vehicle's safety belt. See
Securing Child Restraints on
page 3‑39.
2. If the child restraint manufacturer recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Press the ribbed area of the
trim cover to open the cover
and expose the anchor. 2.3. Route, attach and tighten
the top tether according
to your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and you are
using a single tether, route
the tether over the headrest
or head restraint.
Black plate (39,1)Chevrolet Corvette Owner Manual - 2012
Seats and Restraints 3-39
If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest or
head restraint and you are
using a dual tether, route
the tether around the
headrest or head restraint.
3. Before placing a child in the child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To check,
grasp the child restraint at the
LATCH path and attempt to
move it side‐to‐side and
back‐and‐forth. There should
be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement for proper installation.
Replacing LATCH System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the LATCH
system in the vehicle. A damaged
LATCH system may not properly
secure the child restraint,
resulting in serious injury or even
death in a crash. To help make
sure the LATCH system is
working properly after a crash,
see your dealer to have the
system inspected and any
necessary replacements made
as soon as possible.
If the vehicle has the LATCH system
and it was being used during a
crash, new LATCH system parts
may be needed.
New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the LATCH
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Securing Child Restraints
This vehicle has airbags.
In addition, the vehicle has a
passenger sensing system which
is designed to turn off the right front
passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) under certain
conditions. See Passenger Sensing
System on page 3‑21 and
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 5‑18 for more information,
including important safety
information.